Facebook

CNET Editors' review

by: Jason Parker on October 10, 2011

At long last, Facebook as a universal app is finally here and if you're an iPhone or iPad user looking to browse the popular social site, the app is better than ever. On the iPad specifically, it might be the best platform for browsing the site available.

Now a universal app for both iPhone and iPad, Facebook offers a fun and fast way to browse through friends' pages, statuses, photos, and more. The interface is fairly sparse, but makes it easy to get exactly where you want to go on the site quickly. Across the top you have a button to open the navigation sidebar, one to look at friend requests, a chat bubble for messages, and a globe for notifications. To get to the navigation sidebar, you can either hit the button or simply swipe your finger to the right. On the sidebar you have all the same functions that you would on the Web site, letting you touch to browse the News Feed, Messages, Nearby check-ins, events, groups, and any Facebook apps you might use (each of which can be used on the iPad). Nearby check-ins in particular is much better in this update, letting you see a map of where your friends have checked in, with a list of recent check-ins you can browse on the left.

One of the best things about Facebook on the iPad is how easy and fast it is to browse photos. Just tap on a friend's name and you quickly get all of his photo folders. From there you can just tap on a folder and browse quickly through all his photos. Alternatively, you can view a photo full-screen and just swipe to move on to the next picture or you can touch a strip across the bottom (iPad only) to jump between photos. To go back to folder view, you can simply do a pinch gesture and the photo has a collapse animation to smoothly deliver you back to the folder. You also can quickly upload a photo from your library or snap a new picture for upload on your iPhone or iPad 2. All of these elements are laid out to make your most-used actions on Facebook both easy-to-use and fast.

Overall, with an extremely intuitive interface, touch-screen controls that take advantage of the larger screen real estate on the iPad, and all the functionality you get on the Web site, the latest version of Facebook for iOS is better than ever. On the iPad, it might even be the best platform for browsing the site--even above your computer. If you have an iOS device and use Facebook, this app is a must-download.

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Publisher's Description

From Facebook:

Facebook for iPhone and iPadFacebook for iPadWith high-res photos, games, chat and more, now you can get the best of Facebookon your iPad.- Enjoy bigger, better photos: Your photos are high-res and easy to flip through, like a real photo album- Navigate anywhere, fast: Just tap, slide or pinch to move from one screen to another- Play games on the go: Access your favorite Facebook apps and games, wherever you are- Focus on what matters: Zoom in on your friends' photos, updates and stories- Never lose your place: Share a photo, update your status or send a message without leaving News Feed- See who's nearby: Check out the Nearby map to see what your friends are up toFacebook for iPhoneFacebook for iPhone lets you stay connected and share with friends on the go. Start a chat, keep up with friends' photos and status updates, look up a phone number, upload photos to Facebook and moreright from your iPhone.What's New in Version 4With improved search and browsing, the facebook.com features you use most are now just a touch away. Its a faster, fuller Facebook for iPhone.- Games & Apps: Play games and access your favorite apps on the go- Navigation: Send a message or see your notifications from any screen, and swipe to browse Facebook without losing your place in News Feed- Bookmarks: Your groups, pages and apps are all in your left-hand menu, and the ones you use most are right on top- Search: Search for anything on Facebookpeople, apps, pages and morewithout having to click around or switch views- Security: Weve added a few updates to make the app more secure

What's new in this version: - Access to Mobile Timeline on iPhone (if you already have a timeline). iPad support coming soon. Get your own timeline here: fb.me/tml - Access to friend lists, subscribers and subscriptions- Faster, better performance- Photos are easier to view, upload and comment on

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